Method of pitting freestone peaches



April 1965 G. E. KILNERQ ETAL 3,179,139

METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I6 -3 INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/L IVER By JQSEPH PERRELL/ 5 11., mid" s ur-A.

ATTORNEYS April 20, 1965 e. E. KILNER ETAL METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 15

FIG. /4

INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/LNE/P By vQSEP/I' PERRELL/ 74 1. My

ATTORNEYS April 20, 1965 a. E. KILNER ETAL 3,179,139

METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 4| 6 U'I LCL I a? -a5 J Q W] -43 -95 I03 "I02 F v 99 L2 li mmv zoas GEORGE 1 K/LN'ER By JOSEPH PERRELL/ 5%, Mom!- ATTORNEYS April 20, 1965 e. E. KILNER ETAL METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS GEORGEEIK/LNER JOSEPH PERRELL/ A T TOPNEVS A nl 20, 1965 e. E. KILNER ETAL 3,179,139

METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet s FIG l2 i i INVENTORS GEORGE E. K/LNER JOSEPH PERRELL fifkam 7704 144 April 0, 1965 G. E. KILNER ETAL 3,179,139

METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES Original Filed May 31. 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 H5 INVENTOR$ 1g GEORGE E: K/LNER B BY JOSEPH PERRELL/ H8 6 m A TTORNEKS United States Patent Ofi ice 3,179,139 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,179,139 METHOD OF FITTING FREESTONE PEACHES George E. Kilner, Oakland, and Joseph Perrelli, El Cerrito, Calif-2, assignors to Filper Corporation, San Ramon, Calif.

Continuation of applications Ser. No. 44,644, July 12, 1960, now Patent No. 3,122,186, and Ser. No. 113,871, May 31, 1961, now Patent No. 3,141,483, dated July 21, 1964. This application Feb. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 174,424

4 Claims. (Cl. 146-238) This invention is a continuation of copending applications Serial No. 44,644 and Serial No. 113,871, respectively, filed July 12, 1960 and May 31, 1961, now Patent Numbers 3,122,186 and 3,141,483 respectively, and has for its main object the provision of an improved method of removing whole or half pits from freestone drupe halves.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved method of bisecting whole fre'estone drupes, such, for example, as freestone peaches, and receiving the pits or pit halves, as the case may be, from the pit cavities of the drupe halves, all in a more efficient manner than heretofore and without injury to the fruit.

in the case of freestone peaches, the pits may have many indentations formed therein along lines that extend in different directions, into which fibers of the fruit extend, which is distinctive from pits having smooth surfaces, such as the pits in apricots. This causes the fruit to cling to the pit with a certain tenacity. Also, this condition makes it impossible to remove the pit by sliding the pit out of the halves without severely tearing the fibers and flesh around the pit cavities in the halves.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a method of pitting peaches in which the pitis pulled and .pushed from the pit cavity in a peach half without matetion and in the drawings.

The drawings are illustrative of a machine that is adaptedto carry out the steps of the method, and in the indicated in cross section at the lower part of the drawing.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the rear side of the body of the pitter, which is the side oppositeto that shown in FIG. 1. The housing covering this rear side isremoved to show the structure.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIGS is a fragmentary view showing in elevation, part of the mechanism of FIG. 1 in which the parts are in a drupe holding position with the drupe impaled on the opposedly engaged bisecting blades.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, with the parts in a position in which the pit has just been ejected from the drupe halves. In this view the drupe clamps are simplified.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the drupe feeding cup or support that is seen in side elevation in FIG. 3 at the left side of the figure.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the mechanism on top of the machine of FIG. 1 showing its relationship to the drupe holder therebelow, part of the latter being shown.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 12 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the cam and cam follower that locks and unlocks the clamps that hold the drupe during a clamping and pitting operation.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the peach clamping mechanisms separate from the machine.

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show successive steps in the pitting operation commencing with FIG. 14 and ending with FIG. 16.

In describing the pitter, its front side is the side shown in FIG. 1, and the rear side is the side shown in FIG. 2, hence the words front, forward, rear, rearwardly," and other words of similar import will designate parts or movements as related to said sides.

The pitter illustrated comprises a frame, generally designated I. The front and rear sides shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are vertically disposed, and any suitable housing (notshown) may be provided to enclose or cover work ing parts that do not require exposure.

A generally vertically extending feed arm 2 (FIG. 3) is at the front side of the frame or pitter, which arm is secured at its lower end to a horizontal shaft 3. This shaft is rotatably mounted on the forward end of a bracket 4 that is secured to and projects forwardly from the lower front side of frame 1. i

The upper end of arm 2 carries a drupe support generally designated 5,and on which a drupe is adapted to be positioned by an operator for carrying said drupe by said support to the drupe halving and pitting mechanism;

The support 5 comprises a pair of similar opposed, horizontally extending and horizontally spaced members 7 (FIGS. 3, 7) in parallel side by side relation that have their rear ends adjacent to the forward side of the pitting mechanism. The forward ends of members 7 include upstanding portions 8, and said portions 7, 8 are complementarily formed on their opposed surfaces to generally conform to the contour of the forward and under surfaces of a peach or drupe, such as indicated in dot-dash lines at 9 in FIG. 3. A drupe positioned on the members 7 rearwardly of portions 8, will be automatically centered on the feeder by reason of the upper surfaces of members 7 being divergent (FIG. 7) in an upward direction relative to each other while the rearwardly facing surfaces of portions 8 extend divergently forwardly relative to each other.

'A horizontal pivot 10 (FIGS. 3, 7) pivotallysupports Y a vertically'extending drupe engaging element 11 between theforward ends of portions 7. This element is forked at its upper end, and a cutting blade 12 is secured stationarily as at 6 to members'7 between the latter with the upper end forwardly facing edges of the blade being sharpened to cut through the skin and flesh of a drupe, substantially to its pit as will later be explained. This. blade is preferably apertured and therethrough a pivot '6 extends, and a sleeve 14 on saidpivot at each opposite side of the blade and a helical spring 15' connects the lower end of member 11 with the arm 2 at a point spaced below the upper ends .of the forked upper end of arm 2.

From the foregoing explana'tionit will be seen that 3 the member 11 is swingable relative to blade 12 and will be yieldably held in an upstanding position at the rear ends of the portions 7 of the support 5.

Thus the member 11 will function as a yicldaule stop for the drupe 9 at the rear ends of the members 7, and the upstanding portion will swing rearwardly under the resistance of the drupe to pass below the latter after the drupe has been carried rearwardly to the pitter mechanism and is held by the latter while the support returns for receiving another drupe, and on such return, the blade 12 will cut through the skin and flesh of the drupe at its lower side in a vertical plane bisecting the drupe.

Secured to the end of shaft 3 that is opposite to the arm 2, is one end of a crank arm 16 pivotally connected with the lower end of a vertically extending connecting rod 17. The upper end of rod 17 is pivotally connected with the outer end of an adjustable crank arm 18 (FIG. 1) that is adjustable on the forward end of a shaft 19. This crank arm 18 is adapted to be secured on shaft 19 in any desired position around the shaft by any conventional means, such as a bolt 20 (FIG. 1) to enable proper timing of the support 5 with the pitting mechanism.

,As seen in FIG. 1 the shaft 19 is one of a pair of horizontally positioned shafts journalled for rotation in frame 1 and'the other shaft is designated 21 and is at the left side as seen in FIG. 1 while shaft 19 is at the right-hand side.

Each of the shafts has one of the pit engaging members secured thereto, and as these are the same in structure, except for a right and left-hand member, they will bear the same numbers. Each pit engaging member is numbered 22 and comprises a claw-like member that is rigid with, and that projects outwardly of the outer end of an arm 23 (FIGS. 1, 3) that, in turn, is adjustably secured on each of the shafts 19, 21.

Said pit engaging members 22 extend substantially radially outwardly of shafts 19, 21 and the arms 23 are adjustable on shafts 19, 21 to enable timing the positions of the pit engaging members relative to the pits that are to be removed and that are carried by other means to points where the claw-like members will engage the pits and will remove them in cooperation with the movement of the drupe halves.

In operation, the shaft 19, as seen in FIG. 1 rotates clockwise while shaft 21 rotates counterclockwise, consequently the pit engaging members 22 move clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, with the said members having the pointed outer ends thereof directed generally away from each other at the top of their arcs of movement.

In FIG. 2 it is seen that a gear 25 is secured on shaft 19 at the rear side of frame 1. The teeth of gear 25 are in mesh with the teeth on a gear 26 of the same size that is secured on shaft 21. This gear 26 may be connected with a conventional motor through any suitable and conventional gear chain and belt or chain connections, such as gears 27, 28, 29, pulley 30, are supported on frame '1, and a belt 31 extending from said pulley to a motor or gear box. There is nothing novel in the driving connection.

By reason of rotation of shaft 19 the feed arm is oscillated through an are from the the drupe receiving position shown in FIG. 2, to the right, or rearwardly, to the drupe delivering position in which the drupe is positioned between a pair of spaced opposed drupe holders 36 (FIG. 1).

These drupe holders 36 are formed with spaced opposed surfaces that may be of generally shallow V shape in horizontal cross sectional contour (FIG. 8) so as to center the drupe between them when they engage the opposite sides of the drupe.

Each holder is carried on the lower end of an arm 37 (FIG. 3) that depends from a fork 38 that, in turn, is secured to the forward end of a horizontal shaft 39. Each shaft '39, in turn, is journalled for rotation in the frame 1, and the rear end of one shaft 39 is centrally secured to a rocker arm 40 (FIG. 2) while the rear end of the other shaft 39 is secured to one end of a laterally outwardly opening fork 31. It should be noted that the forks 38 connected to arms 37 are adjustable on shafts 39 for timing purposes.

A roller 42 on one end of rocker arm 40 is between the arms of fork 41, While the other end of arm 40 is .pivotally connected to the upper end of a generally vertically extending rod 43.

The lower end or rod 43 (FIG. 2) is pivotally connected with one end of a horizontally extending rod 44, the other end of which rod 44 is pivotally connected with one side of frame 1. A helical spring 45 connects rod 44 with frame 1 for yieldably urging the rod 44 downwardly. The pivot joining rods 43, 44 carries a cam follower 46 that rides on a cam 47, which cam, in turn, is adjustably secured by a bolt 48 extending through an arcuate slot 49 in the cam 47 to a side of gear 26 for adjustment of its outer peripheral cam surface to different positions, as desired about the shaft 21. Thus spring 45 will function to yieldably hold the follower 46 against the outer peripheral cam surface of cam 47, and the action of the cam 47 and follower 46 will oscillate shafts 39 to move the drupe holders 36 apart to an open position for receiving a drupe 9 therebetween when the support 5 carries a drupe to a position for holding by said holders. However, once a drupe is between said holders, and the cam 47 moves to permit the holders to close on the'drupe, the spring 45 will yieldably retain the holders in engagement with the opposite sides of the drupe, thereby enabling the holders to yieldably engage,

with equal efiiciency, drupes of different sizes. The cam 47 will, however, function to limit the movement of the holders toward each other, since a vertically reciprocable rod 52 (FIG. 1) will move downwardly at timed intervals to push a drupe downwardly from between said holders 35 to a position between a pair of drupe clamps that will hold the drupe halves against a pair of bisecting blades as will later be explained.

In the operation up to this point, the operator first positions a drupe 9 on the support 5. The drupe is preferably oriented on the feeder so its suture is in a vertical plane with that of the cutter or blade 12. The drupe is positioned against the upstanding forward projections 8 of the support and may be yieldably held there by the element 11 at the rear side of the drupe. The stem indent is directed upwardly.

The support 5 moves rearwardly carrying the drupe to a position between holders 36 and the drupe is yieldably clamped between the holders 36, the latter moving toward each other to so hold the drupe. While the drupe is soheld, the support 5 moves forwardly back to its forward, drupe receiving position. On its return travel forwardly, the element 11 automatically swings downwardly against the resistance of spring 15' while the cutter 12 slits the lower side of the drupe substantially to the pit. Thus the drupe, at the time it is ready to be pushed downwardly to complete bisection of its flesh, has already been cut substantially to the pit on its lower side, leaving the flesh at the ends and upper side of the drupe to be bisected. The stem end, it is to be noted, is uppermost at this point.

The rod 5'2 may be likened to a plunger that moves vertically downwardly to push the drupe downwardly from between the holders 36. The lower end of rod 52 carries 'a foot 53 (FIGS. 1, 3) having a pair of horizontally aligned downwardly directed cutting blades 54 projecting downwardly-from its underside. These blades, as they descend into the upper side of a drupe will cut the flesh in the same plane as the cut performed by blade 12 on the lower side of the drupe and will descend past the stem end of the pit, so that said end may enter space between said blades' The adjacent edges of the blades 54, as best seen in FIG. 3, may extend convergently upwardly, which permits alignment of the stem end of the pit between the blades should the drupe, such as a peach, be offset slightly relative to the vertical axis of the plunger or rod 52.

An upstanding bracket 56 (FIG. 1) secured on upper end of the frame 1, is provided with a pair of vertically aligned and vertically spaced bearings 57 that support the rod 52 for vertical reciprocation of said plunger.

Between bearings 57 a block dd (FIG. 1) is secured to the rod 52, and a pair of corresponding vertically disposed links 59, carried on coaxial upper horizontal pivots 60 are swingably connected at their upper ends with said block.

These links 59am pivotally connected at their lower ends with the outer ends of a pair of corresponding arms 61 (FIGS. 1, 8) which arms are rigidly connected at their opposite inner ends with a block 62 that is swingable on a horizontal shaft 63 carried by bearings supported by a bracket 64 that is secured on a portion of frame 1.

A vertically extending rod 66 (FIGS. 1, 8) is pivotally connected at its upper end with block 62. The lower end of rod 66 is pivotally connected at 67 (FIG. 1) with the outer end of an arm 68, the inner end of which is adjustably secured on the forward end of a shaft 69. Shaft 6?! is journalled for rotation in frame 1, and its inner end at the rear side of the frame is secured to one end of an arm 7t? (FIG. 2). The opposite end of arm 76) carries a cam follower '71 that ridesin a cam track 72 in gear 26.

By the above structure the vertical reciprocable movement of rod 66 will cause rod 52 to be vertically reciprocated in time with the movement of the drupe holders 3d and support 5 to push the drupe downwardly from between said holders 36 when the support 5 moves forwardly to receive another drupe. At this time, of course, the support 5 is clear of the drupe held between holders 36.

FIG. 9 shows a side elevational view of one of a pair of bisecting blades 75, 76, there being two such pairs.

(FIG. is a top plan view showing both blades of one pair.) Each pairis disposed in a common vertical plane and the blades of each pair are spaced apart to leave a passageway '77 (FIG. 10) between them for passage of the pit of the drupe.

FIGS. 1, 5 show the front edge views of the near blade of each of the two pairs and FIG. 10 is a top plan view of one of the castings mounting one of the pairs of blades, but both pairs of blades are indicated, and the drupe is indicated in dotted lines at 9 with the pit 9 in the passageway 77.

These blades 75, 76 are together as indicated in FIGS.

.1, 5 and it) when the plunger rod 52 descends and pushes the drupe downwardly, and the plunger pushes each drupe a sufficient distance downwardly so that its uppermost surface is slightly below the upper edges of the blades 75, 76 asindicated in dotted lines at 9 in FIG. 1.

By leavin a passageway between the blades 75, '76 of each pair thereof, there will be nothing on the blades to engage the lower edge or end of the pit irrespective of how large the pit may be. It has already been shown that the blade 12 on the support 5 will cut the lower side of the drupe, and since blades 75, 76 cut the drupe in the same plane as blade 12 and at opposite sides of the drupe after the blades 54 on foot 53 of plunger rod 52 have cut the upper portion of the drupe, it will be seen that the flesh of the drupe has'been bisected completely around the pit by the time the plunger rod 52 has reached the lower end of its stroke, and this is done without rotating the fruit or any of the cutters or blades.

, relation as seen in FIG. 1.

Castings 79 are secured on the forward ends of a pair of horizontal shafts til, 82 (FIG. 1). These shafts are 6 journalled for rotation in frame 1, and extend to the rear side of the latter where they have gear segments 83, 84 respectively mounted thereon (FIG. 2), said segment 83 being on shaft 81, and segment 84 being on shaft 82.

Segments S3, 84- have their teeth in mesh and are adjustably secured on the shafts 81, 82 by means of studbolts 85 that respectively extend through an arcuate slot in each segment and into an extension 87 (FIG. 3) on a hub secured on each of the shafts 81, 82.

The shafts 81, 82 and the castings 79 are respectively so positioned and formed that the blades 75, 76 will be in the position seen in FIG. 1 when the segments 83, 84 are in the position shown in FIG. 2.

An arm 39 (HS. 2) is pivotally connected at ht) at one of its ends to gear segment 84 at a point eccentric to shaft 82, and the other end of said arm is formed with a slot 91 extending longitudinally thereof, through which an extension of shaft 19 extends. This extension carries a roller 92 (FIG. 3) that is inslot 91. A nut 93 and washer on the outer end of said extension holds the roller in said slot and between a shoulder of shaft 19 at its juncture with said extension.

Secured to arm 89 at a point intermediate its ends is a short stub shaft having a cam follower d5 thereon, which follower rides in a cam track @6 (FIGS. 2, 3) that is formed in the rearwardly facing side of a cam 97. The

rear end of shaft 19 rotatably extends through cam 97 and a studbolt 98 offset to one side of said shaft extends through an arcuate slot w in cam 97 and into gear 25, thus adjustably securing the cam to said gear.

The adjustability of cam 97, gear segments 83, S4, and other cams, such as cams 47, 72 enables correct timing of the various operating parts of the machine.

Upon rotation of the gear 25, the rotation of cam 97 that is secured thereto will result, through the connection between segment 84 and arm 39 in an oscil1atorymovement of the gear segments, and consequently of shafts $1, 82 that carry the blades 75, 76. The latter being oscillated between the position shown in FIG. 5; in which they are together, and in FIG. 6, in which they are substan tially coplanar in a horizontal plane and widely spaced apart.

lournalled for rotation in frame 1 is a pair of parallel shafts 101, M2 (FIG. 2) that are disposed between the pair of shafts $1, 82 and shaftsl'e, 21. Each shaft has a. gear 163 secured thereto, said gears having their teeth in mesh, and a gear 1434 secured on shaft 19 has its teeth in mesh with the teeth on one of gears 31% on shaft 102.

On the forward end of each shaft 162 and at the forward side of frame 1, is a pin 165 that is eccentrically positioned relative to the axis of each shaft (FIGS. 1,

5, 6). Each eccentric pin 165 extends into a generally vertically extending slot 166 formed in the lower end of each of a pair of vertically extending cam levers 167, 1%. Cam levers H37, 1% are respectively pivotally supported on frame It on pivots Hi9 (FIG. 3). By this structure it will be seen that the lever arms 1G7, 103 will be oscillated toward and away from each other at their lower ends upon rotation of shafts 1M, Hi2 and the consequent movement of eccentric pins MP5.

Each casting 79 is'like the other, except one is at the. right-hand, as seen in FIG. 1, and the other is at the lefthand. Hence only one need be described in detail, which will be the one secured on shaft 82.

FIG. 10 shows a top plan view of the casting itself and Q end, or at the end thereof nearest to frame 1. Extension 114 has an arm 115 rigid therewith projecting lateraliy therefrom. Said arm 115 carries a cam follower 116 at its outer end. This cam follower is adapted to engage the cam lever 107 at the lower end of the latter just below the terminating lower end of the arcuate surface 117 on cam lever 167 (FIG. 6) when the casting 79 swings the blades 75, 76 toward the position shown in FIG. 5. Each of the cam levers 107, 108 has an arcuate laterally facing surface that is directed toward the casting 79 adjacent thereto, and arcuate surfaces 117 are concentric with the axes of shafts 81, 82, respectively. When the cam follower 116 engages cam lever 107, arm 115 will be swung to positively swing the peach clamp, generally designated 118 away from the blades 75, 76 adjacent thereto to free a drupe half that said clamp had been holding against said blades.

Each peach clamp 118 is carried by a block 111 hereabove mentioned as being rigid, but, adjustably, secured on shaft 112.

Each clamp is formed on its rear side with a pair of vertically disposed, spaced, opposed ribs 119, the rear side being the side that faces away from the other clamp of the pair thereof that is generally in opposed relation thereto, while the forward side of each clamp is the side that engages one of the sides of the drupe.

The block 111 also has a pair of extensions 129 (FIG. 9) that extend downwardly past ribs 119 at the rear side of clamp 118 for pivotal connection with ribs 119 by a pivot 121, and this same pivot 121, pivotally connects with the forward end of a generally horizontally extending arm 122 (FIG. 9), which forward end may extend between ribs 119.

Spaced above and rearwardly of pivot 121 is another pivot 123, that pivotally connects with the forward end of a generally horizontally extending arm 124.

A horizontal bearing 126 at the rear side of casting 79 (FIG. has a forwardly projecting portion 127 that extends between a pair of rearwardly extending vertically opposed ears 128, and a vertical pivot 129, connects said portion 127 with said ears for horizontal swinging of said bearings. I

A shaft 130 (FIG. 10) is carried by bearing 126, and the rear end of said shaft that is adjacent to frame 1 carries a cam follower 131 (FIG. 10) and is carried on said rear end of shaft 139. Thi cam follower rides on the outer arcuately extending peripheral surface of a cam 132'that is rigidly but adjustably secured to frame 1.

The outer surface of cam 132 is concentric with'the axis of shaft 82 about which casting 79 is adapted to swing, and extends through slightly more than 90.

In FIG. 12 the dotted positions indicate cam follower 131 in different positions on cam 132. In this figure it will be seen that there are two slightly elevated portions on the cam track on cam 132 on which cam follower 131 rides. One portion 135 is at one end of the cam track, while the other portion 136 is at the other end of the cam track. Between these two portions the cam track is relieved, and it is also relieved at the end of the cam track that is 135 which is remote from portion 136. This will be explained later on.

The arm 122 that pivotally connects at one end thereof with pivot 121 that, in turn, is on the lower end of the drupe clamp 118, is pivotally connected at its opposite end by a pivot 139 with the lower end of a generally vertically or upwardly extending arm 138. A helical spring 137 connects the outward end of arm 122 with a projection 134 that is rigid with casting 79.

Casting 79 also carries a bearing 140 (FIG. 10) at the end thereof that also carries bearing 126. A pivot 141 is secured in bearing 146 and an extension 142 of said pivot pivotally connects with the upper end of arm 138 (FIG. 9

Spaced below pivot 141 is a bolt 142 that is threaded said arms 124, 138 against movement.

through a wall in casting 79 (FIG. 11), and a lock nut 143 on said bolt locks it in adjusted position. A locking shoe 144 is rigid with bolt 143 at a point closely alongside the arm 124. This arm 124 is the one that is above the arm 122 just described, and arm 124 is formed with a slot 14-7 extending longitudinally thereof into which an axial extension 145 (FiG. 11) on bolt 142 extends.

The bearing block 126 has a locking plate 146 integral therewith closely alongside arm 138 and arm 124 slidable on pivots 139 and 141. Upon the locking plate 146 swinging against arm 138 it will urge, arms 124, 138 tightly together and against locking shoe 144 to lock the This same locking of arms 124, 138 will occur when cam follower 131 is in the elevated portion of the cam 132.

Referring back to the clamp 118, the drupe engaging side of said clamp is virtually in two sections, namely, an upper section 148 and a lower section 149 (FIG. 13).

These peach engaging faces on the clamp carried on shaft 32 are the same as the clamp carried on shaft 81, and said faces are in opposedly facing relation spaced below the plunger rod 59 and at the oppositely outwardly facing sides of the pairs of bisecting blades 75, 76.

The upper sections 148 of the pair of opposed drupe clamps extend divergently relative to each other in an upward direction, and are generally concave in horizontal contour. Thus a peach or drupe pushed downwardly by the rod 52 will be guided to a position between the clamps and they may spread apart to permit the drupe to pass to a position between the lower sections, and the drupe engaging faces of these lower sections, as seen in FIG. 13, are generally concave in vertical contour to generally follow the contour of a generally spherical drupe, and are generally \/-shaped in horizontal contour to center the drupe. When the drupe is clamped between sections 149 it is held against movement relative to the clamps.

At the commencement of an operation, an operator will position a freestone peach, for example, on the support 5 (FIG. 3) between the upward projection 8 and the upwardly projecting end of member 11. Upon rearward movement of support 5, this peach will be carried to a position between drupe holders 36 which will be swung, through actuation of rod 44 (FIG. 2) and under the influence of spring 45 to yieldably hold the peach. Support 5 will then immediately move forwardly to its original peach receiving position and the member 11 will swing down to clear the peach while blade 12 on the support will cut the skin and flesh of the underside of the peach in the plane in which the flesh of the peach is to be bisected.

The pusher rod 52 will then quickly descend under the influence of cam track 72 and follower 71 to push the peach downwardly onto blades 75, 76 the two pairs of which are in face to face engaging relation as seen in FIG. 5.

The pairs of blades 75, 76 will bisect the flesh of the peach at opposite vertical sides, and the cutters 54 on the head 53 at the lower end of the pusher rod will cut the upper side of the peach at opposite sides of the stem end, it being understood that the peach is manually oriented on the support 5 to deliver it between holders 36 with the stem end uppermost.

Thus it will be seen that the peach flesh is virtually bisected when the peach is pushed downwardly onto blades '75, 76.

The castings 79 will have been swung to the position shown in FIG. 5 when the peach is at the lower end of its movement under the influence of the pusher rod 52,

and this rod will have pushed the peach to a position in which its uppermost surface is below the upper edges of the blades 75, 76 as is seen in FIG. 5.

This movement of the castings 79 will carry the peach clamps to peach clamping relation in which the cam follower 131 is in position 1511 (FIG. 12) and is substantially adjoining the high portion 135 of cam 132, hence the peach clamps will be held against the peach under the influence of the springs 137 (FIG. 9). However, as the casting 79 start swinging downwardly the cam followers 131 will ride to position 151 in FIG. 12 and the locking plate 146 and locking shoe 144 will lock the peach clamps to positively hold the peach halves against the pairs of bisecting blades as the halves are separated from the pit.

As soon as the halves of the peach are separated the cam follows 131 may move to the relieved portions of the cam tracks on cams 132, and springs 137 will be adequate to hold them, but when the peach halves reach the positions shown in FIG. 14, which is shortly before the position of the castings 79 as seen in FIG. 6, the cam followers 131 will each be at the position 152 (FIG. 12) and again the peach clamps 118 will be locked, so there can be no relative movement between the peach halves and the blades when the pit engaging members 22 enter the peach halves at the stem end of the pit. Normally the pit will be in only one of the halves, but there can be no predicting which of the halves will carry it. In instances where the pit may split, each half of the body may carry half of the pit. In any event the pit engaging members 22 Will both be actuated.

FIG. 15 illustrates the relative positions between the members 22 and the pit as the blades continue their movement after a member 22 has engaged the pit, and it will be seen that the blossom end of the pit is pushed out of the pit cavity ahead of the stem end, and FIG. 16 illustrates the pit in a position clear of the peach half. This is the position shown in FIG. 6.

During movement of the pit engaging members as seen in FIGS. 14, 15, 16 the peach halves will be positively locked, and they will remain locked during the return movement of the casting 79 and blades 75, '76 until each cam follower 131 rides off the high portion 136 of cam 132 (FIG. 12) and reaches the position 153. When the cam follower 131 reaches the position 153 on the return movement of the casting, each peach clamp will again be held under the influence of a spring 137, but in the mean time the cam levers 107, 1118 will move to positions, under the influence of eccentric pins 165 (FIG. 6) to carrythe shoulders 155 (FIG. 6) at the juncture between each curved face 117 and the portion therebelow to positions in which the cam follower 116 (FIG. 10) will engage said shoulder, and this engagement will result in rotating the shafts 114 that. carry the peach clamps so as to positively swing the clamps away from the peach halves to release the latter.

After the halves have been released, cam followers 131 will ride back over portions 135 on cams 132 to the starting position in which said followers are in positions 150 (FIG. 12). The starting position is also illustrated in full line in FIG. 4, wherein the relationship between the hold ing device, cam follower 131 and cam 132 is shown.

It should be noted that, in the present instance, the peach clamps are swingable about pivots 121 so that they may adjust themselves to the peaches and they are free to make this adjustment until the cam followers 1131 move onto the high portions 135 of cam 132.

Also, when the cam 131 moves onto the high portions 135 or 136, the peach clamps are positively locked.

FIGS. 14, 15, 16 are semi-diagrammatic. The lower line against the downwardly facing cut face of the dmpe half represents blade '75 of FIG. 1, the blade approaching the end of its swing to the right in its arcuately extending path in FIGS. 14, 15 and being substantially at the end of its swing in FIG. 16, hence the leading or right-hand end of the peach half is moving upwardly through the positions of FIGS. 14, 15 while the trailing end is moving downwardly, as is apparent from FIG. 6 which shows the drupe half of FIG. 16 in the final position.

The upward movement of the leading or blossom end occurs from the time the pit engaging element engages the trailing or stem end of the pit, as seen in FlG. 14, due

to the fact that the shaft 35 (FIG. 6) is offset laterally toward the center of the machine relative to shaft 19 that carries the pit engaging members 22.

Thus the drupe half 9 and the pit therein travels in a circular or arcuate path that is generally tangential to the circular path that is travelled by the pit engaging member .22, except that the pit engaging member moves across the arcuate path followed by the trailing end of the pit so as to move into and out of the pit cavity by the time the pit is clear of the half as seen in FIGS. 6, and 14 to 16. Thus, while the pit is pushed out of the drupe half it is also pulled away from the pit cavity at the same time so that the fibers in the pit cavity are not materially mutilated.

The movement of the pit engaging member 22 into and out of the pit cavity also will clear the cavity of fractured pit halves.

We claim:

1. The method of removing the pit from the pit cavity in one half of a freestone peach that comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning a whole peach with its suture substantially in a vertical plane and with the indent therein at the stem end of the pit therein directed upwardly, then (b) cutting the flesh of said peach in said plane and substantially to the pit therein at the lower, upper and two opposite lateral sides of said peach whereby the flesh only of said peach around said pit will be bisected to form halves with cut faces in opposed relation,

(c) firmly gripping said halves and moving them downwardly, and oppositely outwardly from each other in arcuately extending paths of travel to positions in which said cut faces are facing downwardly in a substantially horizontal plane with the pit being held in the pit cavity in one half of the pair thereof during such movement with its stem end trailing the blossom end thereof,

(d) engaging the stem end of said pit during said move ment of said halves downwardly and outwardly and simultaneously pushing and pulling said pit from said stem end out of said one half, and thereafter (e) releasing said halves for falling by gravity.

'2. The method of removing the pit from a freestone drupe that comprises the steps of:

(a) bisecting a whole drupe to the pit only;

(11) pulling the halves of the bisected drupe away from each other and moving them in arcuately extending paths of corresponding length and curvature and at the same rate of speed to positions spaced apart and with their faces around the pit cavities therein facing generally in the same direction with the pit adhered in the pit cavity of one of said halves during movement towardsaid positions;

(c) engaging said pit during said movement thereof and pulling it from the stem end thereof from the cavity in which it was adhered.

3. The method as defined in claim 2:

(d) said arcuate paths being circular and substantially tangentially to each other at the point where said.

drupe was bisected.

4. The method of removing the pit from the pit cavity of one half of the half body of a freestone peach that has been bisected to said pit and that has a substantially planar cut face around said pit, comprising:

(a) moving said half body with the pit adhered in its pit cavity along a predetermined path of travel in which said cut face and said pit face generally downwardly and the pit is unobstructed for downward movement out of said pit cavity and for falling by gravity when free from said gravity;

(b) removing said pit from said pit cavity for so falling of said pit by gravity by the steps of initially pull ing the stem end of said pit downwardly and out of said pit cavity during said movement of said halfbody along said path to thereby initially completely free said stem end from said half body and thereafter the entire pit generally downwardly out of said pit cavity;

(0) permitting said pit to fall by gravity from said path when said pit is completely free from said cavity and then (d) permitting said halves to fall by gravity from said path.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/09 Dunkley 146-28 7/45 J'epson 146-28 7/57 Waters 146-28 1/63 Anderson 146-238 

1. THE METHOD OF REMOVING THE PIT FROM THE PIT CAVITY IN ONE HALF OF A FREESTONE PEACH THAT COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) POSITIONING A WHOLE PEACH WITH ITS SUTURE SUBSTANTIALLY IN A VERTICAL PLANE AND WITH THE INDENT THEREIN AT THE STEM END OF THE PIT THEREIN DIRECTED UPWARDLY, THEN (B) CUTTING THE FLESH OF SAID PEACH IN SAID PLANE AND SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE PIT THEREIN AT THE LOWER, UPPER AND TWO OPPOSITE LATERAL SIDES OF SAID PEACH WHEREBY THE FLESH ONLY OF SAID PEACH AROUND SAID PIT WILL BE BISECTED TO FORM HALVES WITH CUT FACES IN OPPOSED RELATION, (C) FIRMLY GRIPPING SAID HALVES AND MOVING THEM DOWNWARDLY, AND OPPOSITELY OUTWARDLY FROM EACH OTHER IN ARCUATELY EXTENDING PATHS OF TRAVEL TO POSITIONS IN WHICH SAID CUT FACES ARE FACING DOWNWARDLY IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE WITH THE PIT BEING HELD IN THE PIT CAVITY IN ONE HALF OF THE PAIR THEREOF DURING SUCH MOVEMENT WITH ITS STEM END TRAILING THE BLOSSOM END THEREOF, (D) ENGAGING THE STEM END OF SAID PIT DURING SAID MOVEMENT OF SAID HALVES DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PUSHING AND PULLING SAID PIT FROM SAID STEM END OUT OF SAID ONE HALF, AND THEREAFTER (E) RELEASING SAID HALVES FOR FALLING BY GRAVITY. 